6 Food You Must Eat When Visiting Surabaya

Surabaya, the biggest city in East Indonesia famous for Its shopping center that spread around the town. Surabaya has become one of favorite destination for shopping in Indonesia beside Jakarta. But is Surabaya only has Shopping center? How about other things in Surabaya? I have good news for you then. Well if you want to go in a culinary tour, maybe you will find interest in Surabaya. Surabaya has some famous delicacy to satisfy your appetite. Check my recommended list about Food in Surabaya you must to try.

1. Tahu Campur

Tahu Campur is food based on Tofu. Although originally from Lamongan, Tahu Campur is widely sold in Surabaya. This food is consisted from Mashed Potatoes, Fried Tofu, Mung bean sprout, Cassava, Lettuce, Noodle and Shrimp Crackers mixed with beef broth. Sometimes you will find Lentho, a food consisted of mung beans or read beans fried and Lontong Rice. It is better with 'Petis' , a sauce mad from shrimp. It is price for Rp 8000 - Rp 15000, or about $1.

2. Semanggi Surabaya

Semanggi is an aquatic plant easily find in Surabaya. Semanggi  is usually made into 'Pecel Semangi'. Pecel Semanggi is a food made from boiled Semanggi and Kangkong leaf, Rice cracker and Mung Bean Sprout served with peanut sauce on top. In the past you can easily find this food among street vendor, but nowadays is more difficult to find Semanggi. Semanggi is served in Banana Leaf and you used your cracker as spoon to eat. It is one of the cheapest food in Surabaya, about Rp. 5000 or 50 cent.

3. Lontong Balap

Lontong Balap is translated into Lontong rice Race. In the past the street mercant of Lontong Balap bring their goods by holding it with a stick like a scale, and run together. So they are like doing a race. It has become culinary symbol of Surabaya besides Semanggi. Made from chopped lontong rice, Lentho, Mung bean sprout, and Fried Tofu poured with mung bean broth. It will taste better if you add some 'Petis'. You can add scallop satay on top of it. Priced for Rp 8000, it is worth to try.

4. Tahu Tek Tek

Tahu Tek is food made from Lontong rice, fried tofu and boiled mung bean and poured with peanut sauce, sometimes you can find scrambled egg inside it. Use of 'Petis' in its peanut sauce made this food taste more delicious. Surabaya people usually eat it with 10-12 chili so it's taste very spicy. If you want to try and you don't like spicy food, dont forget to tell the merchant to use no chili or only a few. It's priced about Rp 10.000.

5. Rujak Cingur

Rujak Cingur is basically a salad. Instead using mayo as topping, it uses peanut sauce. It made from Lontong, mixed fruit (like raw mango, pineapple, kangkong, kedondong fruit), and fried tempe and fried tofu. It differs from other Rujak in the use of Cingur (cow nose) in it. Like tahu tek, Surabaya people like it spicy, so don't forget to tell the merchant. Priced about Rp 10.000. If you like to make it at home, check my recipe about this food.

6. Sate Klopo Ondomohen

Sate Klopo is a satay that mixed with grated coconut. It famous merchant is in Ondomohen, near the city hall. It is ate with lontong rice and peanut sauce. The satay is varying from chicken, shrimp, beef or even intestine. Priced about Rp 20.000 for 10 piece of satay.

As you can see, food in Surabaya mainly based from Lontong Rice and Peanut Sauce. I don't know why but it tasted delicious though. That is the list from me, maybe you are also interested in my list about street food in east java